The Hurricanes Are Back

The Miami Hurricanes are relevant in college football again. After two impressive wins against Florida State and Georgia Tech, this has become quite clear. Jacory Harris is an absolute stud. The Miami fans should thank Marve for transferring, as he cleared up the quarterback controversy. Harris is an incredibly accurate passer and he has great vision. There are a ton of playmakers in this offense and Mark Whipple is looking like a genius. On the defensive side, the Hurricanes got torched against the Seminoles. However, in their next game against Georgia Tech, a team that embarrassed them last year, they had a much better performance. They completely shut down the Jackets last night. The Hurricanes are halfway through their murderous opening to the season. Their confidence should be through the roof after these first two games. When they take on Virginia Tech next week it will be a difficult game. However, they look to be the more talented team and I expect them to come away with the victory. 

World Cup Qualifiers

What a wonderful day of soccer its going to be! There are a massive amount of qualifiers today, taking place all around the globe. Also, there are so many important games today, that could determine who makes it to South Africa and who will be staying at home. We will be updating you all day. 

Update: First off, well done to Malawi with a great comeback to beat Guinea 2-1.

Egypt survive a scare, but beat Rwanda. The Pharos remain in contention. 

Scotland gets a vital victory, 2-0 over Macedonia.

Cameroon have picked up a huge road victory in Gabon. Gabon still lead the group, but the group has tightened up considerably. 

Bosnia 2-0 up over Armenia. This would be a very important road win for Bosnia, who now have a great chance at making the playoffs.

Finland have rallied to beat Azerbaijan 2-1. Russia coast to an easy victory over Liechtenstein, 3-0.

Bosnia win it! Now 7 points clear of Turkey!

Well done Luxembourg, they got a tie in Moldova. They now have 5 points in this campaign, one of their best campaigns ever.

Ivory Coast are rolling. They are looking good for South Africa.

Sweden and Denmark both lead at halftime. Portugal are in real trouble.

Playoff for a Playoff: Bahrain take on Saudi Arabia and the winner will then play New Zealand for a spot in the World Cup.

Bulgaria have taken care of business with a 4-1 win against Montenegro.

Holy Cow! Hungary have tied with only 10 minutes to go! Hungary continues to shock the footballing world!

Several Big Developments! Slovakia have taken the lead against their arch rivals the Czechs! Portugal have come back from the death to tie it! And Northern Ireland have taken a stunning lead in Poland!

Denmark are barely hanging on!

But they have done it! Despite conceding late, a point is good for Denmark.

Heartbreak for Hungary! Ibrahimovic wins it for Sweden!

The Czech's had tied it, but Slovakia respond and go back up front!

Latvia have beaten Israel, 1-0. A major disappointment for the Israeli's, as their campaign is all but over. It had started so promisingly for them. For Latvia, they quietly remain in contention as they look to qualify for their second major competition in four attempts.

Poland and the Czech have tied up their games with just 5 minutes to play. That would keep the standings as they were.

Norway and Iceland are tied 1-1, a result that would be great for Scotland.

Croatia hang on for an important three points with a narrow win over Belarus.

Poland and Northern Ireland finished tied 1-1 and the Slovakia Czech Republic match finish 2-2. So the group stays as it was. A bit disappointing for Slovakia who twice had the lead, but are still 1 step closer to the World Cup.

Ireland take down Cyprus on a goal with only 7 minutes remaining!

Austria have beaten the Faroe Islands, 3-1.

Devastating for Norway, as they could only manage a tie with Iceland. Scotland all but have the playoff spot now. Also, the South American qualifiers are underway.

Saudi Arabia escape with a draw in the first leg. France held to a draw against Romania...can you hear the cheers in Belgrade!

Spain are rolling 3-0 up on Belgium, with an hour played.

With 83 minutes left, a freekick is headed in by the Swiss to take a vital 1-0 lead!

You could see it coming! After several great chances, Switzerland rap it up on the counter attack! And that sets off a sea of Swiss flags waving in unison at the St. Jakob Park in Basel.

Right after Colombia scored a late goal against Ecuador to take the lead, Peru have scored against Uruguay! It is all up in the air in South America!

Conspiracy?!? Italy lead Georgia 2-0 on 2 own goals by Kaka Kaladze. Where does he play his club football? Italy!

Colombia add a second to seal a crucial win, Peru takes down Uruguay 1-0.

Italy get the win, 2-0.

Spain crushed Belgium 5-0. Turkey have kept their faint hopes alive with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Estonia. Also, a penalty before halftime has given Paraguay a 1-0 lead over Bolivia.

Paraguay win 1-0 against Bolivia.

El Salvador have taken a shock lead against the USA! Its all up for grabs in CONCACAF!

Dempsy ties it! 1-1, Game on!

Well that didn't take long! Altidore scores and the US lead 2-1 right before halftime.

Honduras get the opener against Trinidad.

Honduras get a second against T&T.

USA hold on for the win 2-1, a critical 3 points for the Americans.

Brazil take down their arch rivals Argentina, 3-1! Impressively, the Brazilians have booked their place in the World Cup.

Honduras win it 4-1 and Mexico have stepped up to take a 3-0 lead in Costa Rica. What a turn around from a couple months ago for the Mexicans.

Venezuela fought back bravely to take the lead against Chile, but Chile rallied to tie it. The point helps Venezuela, but three would have been massive.

Argentina vs Brazil

The title says it all. Argentina vs Brazil. This matchup sends chills down the spines of all soccer fans. There are many great rivalries in international soccer, but this was is the best in my opinion. These two teams have won a combined total 7 World Cups and 22 Copa Americas. Not too mention a factory of great international football stars. These two nations are in the soccer mad continent of South America and have tons of rabid fans. These two countries have played so many important games between the two and have had several controversial moments. The rivalry has escalated so much throughout the years, and for the losing fans in this match it gives them a bitter pill to swallow. These two countries are the only superpowers in the west, which adds to the greatness of the rivalry. What really makes the rivalry excel, is the style with which these two teams play. You won't find two better nations to watch world wide then these two. Argentina and Brazil never seek to amaze you when you see them play. These are the two nations that produced the best two players of all time. Pele and Maradona. The debate over who was better will go on forever. This matchup on Saturday will be another thriller. Brazil currently lead in South America, by one point over Chile, and can all but book a place in South Africa with a win. For Argentina, this match is critical. They only lead Ecuador by 2 points, and are in real danger of slipping out of the automatic qualification places. A win for them is vital. No matter the result, it will be sensational to watch.

The Curse Continues

The Chicago Cubs haven't won a world series in 100 years and it looks like it might take another 100 before the win the next one. This team however, has hit a new low. The Cubs were predicted by many to win the world series, yet they sit just above .500 and out of playoff contention. They have been miserable underachievers. The fans are used to underachieving, but the off the field chaos is starting to wear the fans thin. The Cubs chemistry is horrible, as even acknowledged by the manager. The have a club house filled with head cases. Zambrano and Bradley are constantly pulling crap and getting into trouble. Many players have been in Pinella's dog house this season.Bradley, Fukodome, and Soriano are one of the most expensive outfields in baseball, but all have had miserable seasons. The Bradley situation is an interesting one. Their is no question he is a head case and the Cubs were stupid to sign him. Also, Bradley was stupid to save some of the things he recently said about feeling hatred and praying the game ends as soon as possible. However, Bradley claims that he has been racially abused by Cub fans. Many people might not believe him, but it is entirely plausible. Several Cubs players and former manager Dusty Baker claims that they were on the end of racial abuse by Cub fans. Just because a player is a head case, doesn't mean what he says isn't true. The Cubs fans who have a great reputation as happy, loyal, fun loving fans has been tarnished by these multiple allegations. This situation is a complete mess. Everyone is a fault in this case and no one comes out looking good. This has been one of the worst years in the Cubs history, which is really saying something.

Champions League Draw

Inter vs Barca and Real vs Milan were headlines of the draw for the champions league group stage. The Inter Barca matchup will show who got the better of the Ibra for Eto'o deal first hand. The Milan Real match will have Kaka's return to the San Siro. Both matchups are outstanding and will be fantastic to watch. Real narrowly missed drawing Man U, which would have seen the return of Ronaldo. Man U, had a favorable draw as did Chelsea. Liverpool has a bit of a tricky draw with Fiorentina and Lyon.

Live Dodgers vs Rockies

The Colorado Rockies looked dead and buried in the early stages of the season. The were hanging in the cellar, looking like they had no chance at getting into playoff contention. Then, they fired their manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with Jim Tracy. They haven't looked back since then. They Rockies have been on a torrent pace since then and have sky rocketed up the standings. The Dodgers have gone in the opposite way. LA started off the season looking like the best team in baseball and runaway winners for the division. However, they have been in a terrible slide. The Dodgers have lost all of their momentum. Their lead has been trimmed down to just three games. Tonight, they start a massive three game series.

The Dodgers took an early 2-0 lead, but the Rockies have came back to take a 4-2 lead thanks to homers by Hawpe and Barmes. The Dodgers have just rallied to get two in the ninth. Manny got the big hit with two outs to score Furcal and tie the game at 4-4. 

Live Updates: Bases Loaded for Russell Martin 2 outs. 9th Inning. Holy Cow! Martin pops up in foul territory and would have been an easy play, but the ball hits the suspension wire.

All for not though,  Martin flies out. Bottom of the ninth.

Rockies get a man on with 1 out

Iannetta strikes out to end the Inning, going to extras!

Rockies must be exhausted

Dodgers go down 1-2-3, onto the bottom of the 10th

One team is going to come with a massive victory, the other a crushing loss

Leadoff walk to Stewart, Gonzalez coming up. 

Big Development: Gonzalez bunt is a great one and Loney's throw gets away. First and 3rd with no outs! Quintanilla up for the win: Gonzalez takes 2nd. McDonald strikes him out! One down. Helton will now be walked and Tulowitzki will have the next chance. 

Tulowitzki lines it to center and the Rockies win it! Their second incredible victory and they are now just 2 out! The Rockies have a ton of momentum after these two sensational victories. What a dramatic end of the season it is going to be!

Aston Villa Gets A Massive Victory

Aston Villa got a vital win in Anfield today, 3-1. It was only Villa's second in their last 22 in Liverpool. Villa were shockingly beaten on opening day at home by Wigan 2-0, but this win more than made up for it. Liverpool have already lost two games this season, the same amount of losses they had in all of last year. Liverpool wasted a glorious chance after only a couple of minutes. Liverpool had several shots on goal in the scramble and looked surely like they would put it in. Gerrard had the best chance in the sequence, but was somehow denied. Villa got the opener on 34 minutes. Ashley Young fired in a free kick that Levia diverted into his own net. It was a shocking error. The second goal was a killer right before halftime, when Davies headed in from a corner. Liverpool had several great chances, but could not get the breakthrough until 72 minutes when Torres scored from a well worked move. Villa responded right away when Young scored via the penalty. Gerrard was the one who gave away the penalty with a rash challenge. The win was a huge one for Villa, while Liverpool dropped three more crucial points.

All Blacks Edge Wallabies

New Zealand beat Australia 19-18 in a tense affair to take the Bledisloe Cup. The match went right down to the wire and was sealed when Carter nailed a penalty to give them the lead with only one minute remaining. The match was one of the all time greats in this series. Australia lead almost the entire way and took a 15-6 lead into the break. New Zealand twice had tries disallowed in controversial circumstances. The frustration was finally overcome when the All Blacks converted a penalty, then scored off of a beautifully worked try. That gave them their first lead at 16-15, but the Wallabies responded right away and converted a penalty. That made it 18-16. The All Blacks pressed for a late score to win it. Carter had an open drop goal chance, but shanked it badly. That appeared to be it for New Zealand, but Carter got one more chance. This time he didn't miss and the All Blacks survived. New Zealand is now 2-2, while Australia falls to 0-3. The All Blacks will now pull for their rival, Australia, to beat South Africa next week. 

United Back on Track

Manchester United got back on the horse after a 5-0 win at Wigan. The win was a vital one, after the loss to Burnley on Wednesday. Wayne Rooney has become by far the most valuable attacking player at United. His goal broke the deadlock and sent United on their way. The second goal came soon after that. It was a beautiful goal by Berbatov, after a wonderful pass from Scholes. Then, Rooney scored again just a few minutes after that to seal up the victory. Then, Michael Owen got his first goal for United after a great counter attack. It was a crucial goal for Owen who was desperate to open his account with the Red Devils. They would add one more in stoppage time, after Nani scored on a brilliant free kick. United's 5-0 win will do wonders for the team after their shocking loss and Rooney was the key to the victory. 

The Chaos Continues

Plaxico Burress was sentenced to 2 years in prison today. This is another major story in what has been a wild wild week in the NFL. This very well could be the end for Plax. He will be 34 when he gets outs. That is old for NFL standards. Vick is only 29, so he might have time to recover for his lost skills. However, two years out of the game surely will erode some of his skill. At, Plax's age it will be even worse. Plax surely regrets his decision not to accept the plea bargain, as he could have only spent 3 months in jail. He would have been out much faster and could have played again in the NFL. It is amazing how fast people can rise and fall. In February of 2008, Plax was on top of the world. He caught the game winning touchdown pass with only 30 seconds to go. Less than a year later, he shot himself in the leg with a unregistered gun in a nightclub. Now, he is going to jail for two years and has hit the depths of despair. 

Crazy Week in the NFL

What a week it has been in the NFL. Michael Vick returns to the NFL with the Eagles, who no one thought he would sign with. Then, Brett Favre comes out of retirement to play with the Vikings. Wow! Can you believe it! The Vick signing has sparked wide spread protest from people who believe he should not be allowed back into the NFL. Its amazing to think back to the 2004 NFC Championship where Vick and McNabb were going against each other. It was a matchup of two of the most exciting quarterbacks in football. Now, five years later they are on the same team. Incredible! As for Favre, I really thought that was it. I thought surely he can't do it again. But, I was wrong. Favre is back and it is clear revenge against the Packers was on his mind. If Favre wants to keep playing he needs to stop making it into such a soap opera. This whole act is getting old of retiring and coming back. Anyways, this has been one of the most memorable offseason weeks in NFL history.

Nats Get Strasburg

What a shock! After months of looking like the Nats would miss out on the top prospect in the draft, Stephen Strasburg, the Nats pulled it off an the deadline. They had to give up 15 million to get him and he will have huge expectations to live up to. Strasburg though, is considered to be a can't miss prospect by the experts. The signing also gives more credibility to the Nationals, who were embarrassed by not being able to sign Aaron Crowe. The Nationals have shown improvement in the last couple weeks and now with this signing the Nats fans have reason to be encouraged. 

Trinidad Gets First Win, Honduras Moves into Second

Trinidad got their first victory after beating El Salvador 1-0. Cornell Glenn got the goal after just 7 minutes and it held up. Trinidad got off the cellar and have pulled even with El Salvador on 5 points. Both teams face an uphill struggle as they are both 4 points behind 4th place Mexico. Honduras moved into second place after thrashing their Central American rivals, Costa Rica. Honduras appeared to have opened the scoring after 17 minutes, but the goal was disallowed. They were able to overcome the blow and responded very well. Carlos Costly, the potent Honduran striker, opened the scoring on 31 minutes. Carlos Pavon then added a second just six minutes into the second half. Honduras poured on the pressure throughout the game, as they completely dominated. Costa Rica did have a golden chance to get a goal back, but could not capitalize. The home side would keep the pressure on and would get two more in stoppage time. Costly curled past the Costa Rican keeper to make it three, and then Valladares sloted home from the breakaway to complete the scoring. Honduras have passed the USA via goal differential. They have not qualified for the World Cup since 1982, and have a real chance at doing so now.

Croatia, Mexico, Norway Record Big Wins

Today, in World Cup qualifying a few teams picked up important victories. Croatia took down Belarus and our now in control of second place. Belarus are having one of their best ever campaigns, but their hopes of qualifying took a large hit. The Croats took down Belarus 3-1. Norway crushed Scotland 4-0 and have put themselves right in the hunt for second place. The game took a dramatic switch after Gary Caldwell was sent off. The goals started poring in and in fact, Norway should have had one more. The Norwegians had a goal not given, which was clearly over the line. France, Germany, and Slovenia also picked up victories as well.

The USA were looking for the first ever win in Mexico and got off to the perfect start. Charlie Davies scored after 9 minutes. The lead would not last long though, as Macias would score 10 minutes later after a wonderful long range strike. The US held on though and looked like they were going to take a point. However, with 9 minutes left Sabah picked up a lose ball in the box after a sliding challenge had knocked it to him. He took his time and roofed the ball beautifully into the net. Mexico took the 2-1 victory and greatly improved their chances of qualifying. Their are still two more games to come to night in CONCACAF. 

World Cup Qualifier Predictions

0 Azerbaijan 3 Germany

6 Slovenia 0 San Marino

1 Norway 1 Scotland

1 Belarus 2 Croatia

0 Faroe Islands 4 France

3 Honduras 1 Costa Rica

2 Trinidad 0 El Salvador

2 Mexico 0 USA

Huge Win for the Dodgers

Last night, the Dodgers picked up a vital victory in the opener of their three game series against the Giants. The Dodgers lead in the division has been shrinking over the last couple weeks and it gone down to just 5.5 games going into this pivotal series. This series could put the Giants right in the race, but LA has other ideas. They played a very clean and efficient game and came out on top 4-2. LA was well focused, as it was clear that they knew the importance of this series. Many people thought that San Francisco would ride their momentum to continue to close on the Dodgers, but LA had other ideas. The Dodgers would be satisfied with taking one of the remaining games, but if they take both then San Francisco could be knocked out of the race. 

Daunting Task For the USA

The US will take on Mexico in World Cup qualifying action on Wednesday. This rivalry is the best in the CONCACAF region. The US has dominated Mexico in recent years on American soil, but in Mexico it has been just the opposite. The USA have never won in Mexico. In fact they have only ever picked up one point on Mexican soil, to go along with 22 losses. If the US can end the Mexican jinx, it will be by far one of their best ever results. The Azteca Stadium, where the match will be played, posses a variety of difficult obstacles. For one, the capacity of the stadium is a massive 105,000. The presence of that incredible number of loud and rabid fans is intimidating enough. The location of the stadium is also very troublesome for visitors. Azteca is 7,200 feet above the ground. The Mexican players have much more experience with this altitude, as they live and train there. However, for visiting players playing at this altitude is incredibly difficult. Their lungs are not prepared for this situation and they get worn out fast. The advantages of Azteca's location does not stop there. Mexico City is very polluted and the smog just hangs over the city. The pollution plus the altitude make it very difficult to breathe, let alone win a soccer game. These factors give Mexico one of the biggest home field advantages in sports. In fact, Mexico have only ever lost one game in the Azteca. 

Another thing that makes this match very interesting is that both teams are seeking revenge. The USA took down Mexico 2-0 earlier this year in qualifying. Mexico are looking to avenge that loss and keep up their record against the US at home. The US was just obliterated by the Mexicans in the Gold Cup 5-0. That loss is surely hanging over the US players, as they were embarrassed the last time they faced them. The US has probably their best ever chance of beating Mexico in the Azteca. However, I don't think they have enough. The conditions are just too tough in Azteca. The US can not properly prepare for the obstacles they will face and as a result will probably go down to defeat. I predict Mexico to take this one 2-0.

Races Tightening Up

The Texas Rangers and the Florida Marlins have both put themselves right back into the playoff races after having great weekend series. The Rangers took 2/3 from the Angels and the Marlins swept the Phillies. The Rangers are now just 3.5 behind the Angels and the Marlins 4 back of the Phillies. Both teams are well with in striking range, but the question is can they maintain the pace. The Rangers have a better shot then the Marlins. The Rangers have a solid roster and have been competitive all year. The Marlins have done very well to get back in the race, but they don't have the talent to keep up with the Phillies. The Giants have pulled to 5.5 behind the Dodgers and have a great opportunity to get back into the race as they are about to start a series with LA. If the Giants can win that series they will be right in it. 

Springboks Rolling

South Africa went to 3-0 in the Tri Nations after another impressive victory. This time they beat Australia 29-17. It was another deserved victory and the Springboks look well on their way to taking the Tri Nations. The Wallabies fell to 0-2, despite getting off to a perfect start. They got a try within the first two minutes and converted it to take a 7-0 lead. The Springboks responded with three quick penalties, but Australia pulled a drop kick back to take a 10-9 lead. South Africa responded with two more penalties and to take a 15-10 lead. They have kicked an enormous amount of penalties during the competition. Then, they got their only try of the game as they took advantage of some sloppy play by the Wallabies. They added another penalty before the break to take a 23-10 lead at the half. The second half was a much better performance from Australia and they scored the only try of the half. However, two penalties from the Springboks allowed for another comfortable win. South Africa has not even conceded a bonus point in this tournament. The Springboks are now done with their home matches, but have put themselves in a very commanding position. 

Proceed With Caution

John Smoltz was designate for assignment by the Red Sox today ending the disastrous experiment. Signing Smoltz was a terrible decision to begin with. I don't understand why teams go after these older veterans at the end of their career who have nothing left. The White Sox signed Griffey, that failed. The Red Sox signed Smoltz, that failed. The Phillies have signed Pedro, and surely that will fail as well. Being a hall of fame pitcher should not guarantee you get a roster spot. It was very naive of the Red Sox to sign Smoltz, as his downfall was obvious. The idea of signing an old wise veteran is very appealing to teams. However, if they have nothing left and can not be effective they should not be signed. Especially, by a contending team like the Sox or the Phillies. The media loved the Smoltz signing. They said he would be a great influence on the younger pitchers and was a great big game pitcher. They ignored the fact that his skills had eroded considerably. If an older player with a big name is floating on the market, teams need to makes sure he can still be effective before going after him.

Tight Race in the Central

The Detroit Tigers currently lead the AL Central, but their lead continues to shrink. The Tigers lead the Central by only 1 game over the White Sox. Another team though, has quietly gotten back into the race. That team is the Minnesota Twins, who are just 3.5 half back. All three teams are pretty similar. They all have great players, but all have flaws. This race promises to be tight until the end, as none of the three seem good enough to pull away from the other. My prediction is that the White Sox will pull it out. They have more experience then the other two teams and have won in a lot of pressure situations in recent years. The White Sox have the best pitching of the three as well, and at the end of the year that is critical. 

D.C. United Advances

Yesterday, D.C. United advanced to the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. They advanced by beating Firpo on penalties, after a 1-1 tie. Firpo took an advantage into the second leg and took the lead via the penalty spot. However, Christian Gomez responded with a brilliant free kick to level the score and the aggregate. D.C. United had to withstand a barrage of chances by the hosts, but held on. They also had to survive the sending off of Fred, who was rightly dismissed after a nasty challenge deep in extra time. The first six penalty kicks were each scored. Firpo though, missed their fourth kick which opened the door for the capital side. Matt Burch and Gomez converted the final two kicks to give United a 5-4 victory on penalties. D.C. United will enter into a group with Toluca, Marathon, and one more team to be determined. The win was D.C. United's first ever in the new CONCACAF Champions League.

Flashback

Every now and then my brother and I will be flashing back to some memorable sporting events in the past. Here is our first one. 

June 24, 1990- The second round of the 1990 world cup saw one of the most intense rivalries in soccer renewed. That would be Holland against Germany (technically West Germany at the time). Holland and Germany have had an incredibly fierce rivalry in football since the end of World War II. Also, due to the amount of important matches these two nations have played, the rivalry grew to new heights. This match would turnout to be the most famous, or infamous between the two, depending on how you look at it. Tensions were already running high between the teams even before the match started. Holland had just beaten Germany in the 1988 Euro Semifinals in route to becoming European Champions. The tournament had been held in Germany, so the loss was that much the more bitter for them. The Germans wanted to get revenge against the Dutch badly. Rudi Voller said before the game that he dreamed of getting to play against Holland before the match. However, this match would be extremely unique for one particular reason. Three of Germany's best players were playing for Inter Milan at the time, Brehme, Klinsmann, and Matthaus.  While Holland had three of their best playing for AC Milan, Van Basted, Rijkaard, and Gullit. And wouldn't you know it, the match was played in the San Siro in Milan. Never has a world cup match played before two foreign sides, generated such local interest. Fans of both Inter and AC Milan flocked to the game to support their local club stars. The mixture of a second round World Cup match plus the feel Milan Derby, gave the match an incredible atmosphere. However, things began to turn ugly as the game started. The German fans repeatedly racially abused the black Dutch players. Monkey cheers could be heard throughout the stadium, every time one of them touched the ball. Then in the twenty second minute one of the most notorious moments in World Cup history happened. After Voller won a freekick after a pretty blatant dive, Rijkaard approached him. Rijkaard had been infuriated by the racist chants directed at him, as well as the other black players. Rijkaard went up and spit on to the back of Voller's head. The incident was not seen by the ref and went unpunished. The altercation would not stop there. On the ensuing play, Voller fouled the goal which started another skirmish. Voller took another blatant dive in the melee. Then, Rijkaard came over and spit on him again. Both players were sent off. It is still confusing as to why Voller was sent off, but Rijkaard's actions were incredibly disgraceful. Then, just for good measure Rijkaard spit on him one more time as they left the field. As the match went on, Germany had a number of good chances, but goalkeeper Hans Van Breukelen pulled off a number of great saves. The Germans would not be denied on 51 minutes, though. Jurgen Klinsmann cleverly diverted a near post cross to give them the lead. Holland had two golden chances to tie the game, but couldn't do i. The Germans would go two up after another Inter player scored on the 84th minute. Brehme took the ball on the left side of the penalty area and curled in an unstoppable shot. It was won of the goals of the tournament. Koeman would pull a goal back via the penalty spot after 89 minutes, but the Dutch would run out of time. The Germans would go on to win their third World Cup. The 2-1 win over the Dutch remains one of the sweetest of all time for the Germans. The match will be remembered by fans all over for bad reasons. The horrible racism that took place in the stadium on that night, and the spitting by Rijkaard is what makes it so memorable. Holland would get some revenge on the German's just two years after that by beating them in the Euros, but the loss in the 1990 World Cup will forever leave a bitter taste in the mouths of the Dutch.

What a Difference 1 Game Can Make

Its amazing in sports how one game can change a team's fate so dramatically. The Australian soccer team is a perfect example. Australia have had a very disappointing history in soccer, as no team has lost in more playoff qualifiers then the Aussies. Then in 2006 it all changed. Australia were heavy underdogs against Uruguay as they entered into the playoff qualifier. Uruguay won the first leg in Montevideo by a single goal and it looked like the Aussies were done for. However, the second leg in Melbourne would produce an absolute shock. The Aussies produced an incredible performance and won the match 1-0, to force penalty kicks. The Aussie fans held their breathe and prayed that the team could avoid another disappointment. This time it would be different for the green and gold, as Mark Schwartzer proved to be the hero with two penalty saves. Australia won the shootout 4-2 to advance to their first world cup in 32 years. Since that point soccer in Australia has skyrocketed. The Aussies made it to the second round for the first time in their history and were only eliminated on a terrible call. Then in qualifying for the 2010 world cup, Australia were fantastic and rolled into qualification. Attendance at soccer matches in Australia has jumped enormously and they created their first national league. The facilities in Australia have also greatly improved and the number of Aussies playing abroad is as high as its ever been. The win against Uruguay is the reason why Australian soccer has grown so much. The game jump started this progression. If Australia had not won, soccer Australia would be in the same state as it was prior to 2006.

Sprinboks Beat All Blacks Again

For the second straight week South Africa has beaten New Zealand. The final score this time was 31-19. Even though the score line was similar to the one last week, the gameplay was much different. The Springboks dominated quite simply. They put the All Blacks under pressure from the start. They were swarming on defense and took advantage of every mistake from New Zealand. And there were a lot of mistakes! A whole lot! New Zealand compiled a massive amount of handling errors and penalties. The Springboks only scored one try, but converted eight penalties. New Zealand took an early 10-3 lead after a try by Issac Ross, who would later see himself go to the sin bin. Also, two Springboks went into the sin bin at different points, but it did not matter. After the All Black try, South Africa took over. They scored a try from before the end of the half after they stole the All Black lineout. Then the All Blacks committed an incredibly stupid penalty right before the half, which allowed South Africa to take a 22-13 lead. The All Blacks were able to get with in six twice in the second half. However, the Springboks continued to respond with penalties and extended their lead to 12 points and took the victory. New Zealand looked incredibly average during the game. It looked like the were badly inferior to South Africa. The Springboks now have a great chance at winning the tri nations.

Dynamo Moscow Upsets Celtic

Dynamo Moscow pulled a shock yesterday when the upset the Scottish giant, Celtic. The match finished 1-0 in favor of the Russians. The goal came after just seven minutes and was scored by Alex Kokorin. Dynamo got off to a blistering start as the Russian star, Alex Kerzhakov created all kinds of problems down the left. Kerzhakov sprinted down the left and sent in a low cross to Kokorin, who got the slightest of touches, but it was enough to divert it into the net. It was a crucial away goal for Dynamo. They continued their impressive start for the next 20 some minutes and created several chances. Then, the game completely changed. Celtic took over and would create an enormous amount of chances. Marc-Antoine Fortune, had a day to forget. He missed two absolute sitters in the first half. Celtic were also denied by some great goalkeeping from Anton Shunin. In the second half Celtic continued to pile on the pressure. But it was to no avail. The best chance came when Georgie Samaras had a point blank header saved by the Moscow keeper. Dynamo are now firmly in control, as all they need is a tie at home to advance. The result also shows the continued improvement of Russian clubs in European competition. 

City Revolution

Manchester City has been in the shadow of Manchester United throughout their history. For years they have put their dedicated followers through torture, almost always ending the season in disappointment. That is about to change. City have recently been bought by trillionaire owner, Sheik Nahyan. City are going to spend so much money that it will make the stimulus package look like a tap in the bucket. The spending in fact has already begun. City have already brought in Robinho, Tevez, and Adebayor. That is a lethal strike force, one of the best in the world. Today, they signed Kolo Toure, to give them some much needed defense. They are still a little bit weak in the back, but with the money they have they can address that problem. Or any problem that may come across them. It probably won't be long before the elite clubs start calling for a salary cap, as they will not be able to keep up with City. They still probably don't have enough to win the title this year, but it won't belong before they will start adding silverware to their trophy cabinet. 

Pittsburgh Pirates Are a Joke

Their is no team in American sports who frustrate their fans like the Pittsburgh Pirates. Not even the Clippers. For the older Pirate fans, I know they had some great teams in the seventies and took a couple of championships. In the past 17 years they have turned into an absolute mockery of a franchise. After the Pirates suffered a bitter defeat to the Braves in the 1992 NLCS, they have never been remotely close to making the playoffs. They lost their star Barry Bonds, who went on to become the homerun king. It is not just the loss of Bonds which makes them a joke. Its the fact that any talent that comes across the Pirates will indisputably be traded. First it was Xavier Nady. Then Jason Bay. This year though has been ridiculous. The Pirates got rid of another very promising talent in Nate McClouth. Then after the Pirates brought up Andrew McCutchen. Who gave them an explosive top of the lineup being paired with Nyjer Morgan. The Pirates though, promptly gave away Morgan for a bust minor league player. The Pirates then gave away another good player in Adam LaRouche. Now they are rumored to give away what little remaining talent they have Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson. What are the Pirates trying to do? Does their ownership have any interest in winning? It appears that they have none whatsoever. The Pirates ownership are not willing to spend anything to keep their talent. They only are interested in selling their players to make money. For the Pirates players that give it their all and for the long suffering fans I have a ton of sympathy for them. They are basically supporting a lost cause and they know it. That is because the root of the problem comes from the top.

Crucial Series for the Astros

The Houston Astros enter their 4-game series against the Cubs, just two out of first place. It is quite a remarkable turn around for a team who was one of the worst in baseball at the start of the year. They were able to get the Cardinals lead down to one game, after they swept them last Thrusday. However, they lost ground this weekend on the now first place Chicago Cubs, after losing two out of three at home to the Mets. The Astros can fall out of this race just as quickly as they got back into it. If they only take one or none in this series they will lose more ground and the Cubs will have a lot of momentum. It is vital to the Astros season that they show they can compete with the best teams in the Central and take at least two games in Chicago. If they can do this they will be able to stay right in the race. Luckily for Houston, their two star pitchers Oswalt and Rodriguez will be pitching during the series. That will give them a much better chance of getting at least a split.

Contador

Alberto Contador took his second Tour de France championship for the second time in three years. Contador clearly deserved the victory. Stage 15 was where Contador really made his mark. This was the stage that had the climb on Verbier. Contador was simply brilliant at this stage. He accelerated on the mountains like no other rider could. That was Contador's first stage win and he also took the yellow jersey then. He would not relinquish it after that. Contador would win the stage 18 time trial. Those would be the only two stages he would win, but that would be more than enough. The next closest rider was Andy Schleck, who finished four minutes and eleven seconds behind. Lance Armstrong gave a very strong showing, as he finished third overall. Armstrong finished five minutes and twenty four seconds back. Next year, Contador and Armstrong will be on separate teams and will be expected to challenge each other for the title next year.

Sounders Fans

The attendance and the passion of the supporters in the MLS has gone up considerably in the last few seasons. DC United have always had great fans and LA has gotten pretty good attendance since the inception. However, the recent expansion teams have added a lot to the MLS. Toronto fans pack into BMO Field every weekend and create a great atmosphere. The addition of Chivas gave the MLS its first true derby match. There is one set of supporters though, that blow them all away. They belong to the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders fans are by far the best in the MLS and create a European type atmosphere. The Sounders play there home games at Quest Field, where they get about 30,000 each game. That is by far the best in the MLS. The Seattle fans don't just fill up the stadium, though. Most of their supporters stand and sing the entire game. They wave flags and hold up signs. What is really striking though, is the noise! It is loud, I mean really loud! The crowd is absolutely defining! The support of the Sounders has really taken the MLS to the next level. In 2011, when Vancouver and Portland get there teams, it will be the reformation of three great rivalries that date back to the NASL days. The rivalries between these three teams are going to be unbelievably intense, without any doubt. The northwest is going to be the best area for soccer in the country. Also, it won't be long before the rivalries between these three teams will be mentioned as some of the best in the world.

South Africa Takes Down New Zealand

The Springboks started off their Tri Nations Campaign in perfect style, as the defeated the All Blacks 28-19. It was a deserved victory for the men in green. The first half was completely controlled by the Springboks. They should have lead by more as some poor kicking prevented them from being up by a larger margin and they had to settle for a 14-3 halftime lead. They extended their lead early in the second half to 17-3, after a converted penalty. The All Blacks got back into the match at around the 50th minute mark. Conrad Smith scored a spectacular individual try to make it 17-10. Soon after Donald converted a penalty to make it a 4 point game. The teams would then trade penalties after 63 minutes to make it 20-16. As New Zealand looked for a try to take the lead the Boks got a crucial interception. The ball was kicked deep into New Zealand territory. They got another turnover and had lots of support once they got possession. The ball found Jaque Fourie, who sprinted for the try. The conversion was missed, so the score was 25-16. The All Blacks quickly got a penalty to keep them in the match. However, South Africa won the ball back and forced a penalty. With 77 minutes on the clock, Steyn took advantage of an ill advised penalty from New Zealand. His kick from the halfway line was fantastic, and it made it 28-19. That is how it would finish and the Springboks joined New Zealand as the co-leaders atop the standings. 

Semifinal Review

What an incredible night in the Gold Cup yesterday! The two favorites USA and Mexico prevailed in to enthralling contests. The chances came fast and furious in the first game. However, the first goal would not come until 45 minutes when Goodson broke the deadlock from a cornerkick. The second half was virtually all the US. Good goal keeping from the Honduran keeper prevented the score from changing. However, in the 90th minute the US would get a second to seal the game. It was a beautiful goal, as Holden found a wide open Kenny Cooper to tap in for the second and send the US to the final.

The second game was absolute magnificent. The matchup was Costa Rica against Mexico and it was played in front of a vibrant atmosphere. However, some fans went out of line a couple times, by throwing a cascade of beverages at the Costa Rican players as they were taking corners. Mexico were able to get through a stubborn defense on a couple of occasions in the first half. Dos Santos had a great chance right before halftime, but missed wide. Early in the second half, Mexico won a penalty, but the goalie made a brilliant save to deny them. Mexico would have a number of near misses. Finally, in the 88th minute the breakthrough came. After a freekick was cleared away the ball was sent back into the box. It found a wide open Franco whose shot was blocked but got through. The goalie and a Costa Rican defender scrambled to clear it out, but it had already crossed the line. The ball was knocked back in by Mexico just to make sure. It looked like that was it. However, with 15 seconds left in stoppage time. Ledezma cleverly took a long ball around the Mexican defense and got a 1 on 1 chance with the goalie. He made a magnificent finish to tie it at 1 and send it to extra time. In extra time Mexico upped their game. They had several close encounters, but could not find the net. So, the game went to penalties. Each team converted their first two. Then, Torrado converted Mexico's third. Ledezma stepped up for the Ticos. He was earlier the hero for them, but he became the goat as his shot was saved by the goalie Ochoa. The remaining kicks were all made and as a result Mexico won 5-3 on penalties. The final that the experts expected will take place, but only just. Should be a cracker on Sunday. 

Buehrle is Perfect

Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game in the White Sox 5-0 win over the Rays today. Buehrle was amazing as he stifled the Rays all day. Buehrle though, will most likely be taking DeWayne Wise out to dinner tonight as it was his miracle catch in the 9th that saved the perfect game. Wise robbed Gabe Kapler of a homerun, as he made a sensational catch. On the way down, he almost lost the ball but was able to hold on. The perfect game is the 17th in the history of the game.

Gold Cup Semifinals

Tonight are the Gold Cup Semifinals, and they are two outstanding matchups. The first game is a rematch of an earlier game in the tournament, which is USA against Honduras. The US won that match 2-0, but it took them over 70 minutes to find the breakthrough. I expect another tight match in this one. Honduras are definitely capable of beating anyone in CONCACAF. However, I still think the US is just a little bit too strong for them. I think the USA will take this one 2-1.

The other match should be even better as Costa Rica play Mexico. Both teams are regulars in the World Cup and are coming of blowout victories. Costa Rica are currently in first in CONCACAF qualifying and want to show that they are the best in CONCACAF. A win over Mexico would go along way towards proving that. Mexico, are trying to prove that they are not on a lowpoint. They have improved quite a bit during the tournament. This one should be incredibly tight and entertaining. In the end, I expect Mexico to pull it out 3-2 in extra time. I think it should be the game of the tournament. 

Instant Replay

I have never understood why instant replay is not used in all sports. And in some cases it should be used more than is currently permitted. Yesterday, The Twins lost a wild game to the A's 14-13. However, the final out was recorded when Michael Cudyer tried to score from 2nd on a wild pitch. He was safe by a mile, but was called out. Cudyer foot had slid literally across the entire plate before he was tagged. If instant replay was permitted for base running plays the call would have been overturned and the game would continue. But, since there is no replay the game ended on a horrible call. Its always been amusing that people say human error is part of the game. In what other situation is that an acceptable excuse. If I failed a test and my mom asked me why I failed and I said because of, "human error," I don't think that would be an acceptable excuse. Or trying using, "human error," as a reason you messed up on a business project and see how your boss responds. Soccer is another sport that needs to adopt instant replay. A terrible call has already decided one world cup final, and it could have been prevented with instant replay.

Pedro Returns to Phillies

The future Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez is set to make his return to the MLB, with the defending champion Phillies. I really question the logic of this move. Pedro has been out of the league this entire season. He has had several injury plagued and ineffective seasons in his last couple years. Many teams are attracted to bringing in the old wise veteran. There is no question that Pedro is very knowledgeable about the game, however his skills are all but gone. A couple of teams in the pennant race have brought in veterans with similar attributes to Pedro. For example, the White Sox brought in Griffey and the Red Sox signed Smoltz. Both failed miserably. The Phillies are also not a team that needs to learn how to win. Remember, the are the defending World Champions. Pedro Martinez is a big name, but he will not be successful with the Phils. That is a guarantee. Luckily for the Phils, they are rolling and even though Pedro will struggle, it won't slow them down very much.

Blowouts at the Gold Gup

Costa Rica and Mexico rolled over their Caribbean opponents in the Gold Cup today. Costa Rica hammered Guadeloupe 5-1 and Mexico defeated Haiti 4-0. Guadeloupe started the tournament in impressive fashion, but could not duplicate their 2007 achievement of making the semifinals. Haiti, who overachieved to get to this point, were badly outmatched against Mexico. The semifinals are now set, with Honduras taking on the USA, and Costa Rica playing Mexico. Both matches should be outstanding, especially the second one. Costa Rica are determined to show that they are an elite team in CONCACAF, and have a great chance to show it on Thursday night. Mexico have improved as the tournament went on and hit their stride against Haiti. However, they will be put the test against the Ticos.  

Canada Robbed at Gold Cup, Yet Again

For second consecutive Gold Cup, Canada were once again on the short end of some horrible officiating. This time, wasn't quite as bad. The only goal of the game came off of a penalty kick that was awarded because the ball hit a Paul Stalteri in the head. I was under the impression that you could use your head in soccer. Then, Ali Gerba got tackled in the box. The foul was called on him. Apparently, if you get tackled its a foul on you. Honduras would win the game 1-0 and will play the USA on Thursday. For Canadian fans, this loss will bring up bad memories. In 2005, Costa Rica defeated Canada on a non-existent penalty. Had Canada tied they would have advanced. In 2007, the USA defeated Canada on some of the worst officiating in the history of the sport. The USA was awarded a penalty after a dive by Donovan, which lead to the first goal. Then, in one of the worst calls I have ever seen, Canada had the tying goal in stoppage time taken away for offsides. The play was clearly onside and it came off of the USA defender. Now, in 2009 Canada gets eliminated via bad officiating once again. Why has Canada been on the short end of bad officiating three tournaments in a row? Money. Simple as that. Canada doesn't sell the tickets that the USA or Latin American countries can. If you don't think this is accurate, just look at who the President of CONCACAF is. Jack Warner, one of the most corrupt people in world football. It is a joke that CONCACAF would appoint him as president! It is an embarrassment to the region! If this corruption is going to get taken out of football, then people like Warner need to go. For countries like Canada, it is essential. Otherwise, they won't be able to get a fair shake at major competitions. 

All Blacks Take Opener

New Zealand ground out a 22-16 victory over their arch enemy, Australia, in the opener of the Tri-Nations. The match was tight and tense all day, just as expected. The Wallabies got off to a dream start, taking a 10-0 lead in the first 10 minutes. New Zealand pulled a penalty back a couple minutes later to make it 10-3. Just after that the biggest play of the game occurred. The Wallabies blocked a kick deep inside All Black territory and looked to be on their way to an easy try. However, some sloppy play cost Australia an easy try, as the Wallabies had a careless knock on. The Wallabies were able to get convert a penalty after 19 minutes, but the lost seven points would haunt them dearly. On 25 minutes, New Zealand were able to pin their opponents in, and after some great pressure got the ball across the line for a try. The conversion was made to get it to 13-10. The score would stay the same until halftime, as the All Blacks were playing well below standards. The All Blacks started very well in the second half and scored two penalties inside the first five minutes, to take their first lead. The Wallabies responded instantly after the kickoff, and scored a penalty of their own to tie it at 16-16. The match would stay the same way for some time until about 20 minutes to go. A crucial blocked kick lead to a penalty from close range, and Donald connected to make it 19-16 in favor of the All Blacks. The Wallabies got another chance to tight right after that. However, the kick would sail off to the right, which would turn out to be very costly. With 72 minutes to go New Zealand got another important penalty and extended the lead to 22-16. The Wallabies knew they had to get a try, but it would not come. The farthest they would come was just inside the 22 meter line. The All Blacks took the win, and they continued their home dominance over Australia. The last win for Australia in New Zealand territory was in 1986. Next up for the All Blacks, will be a pair of road tests in South Africa. Australia will be off until August 8, when they take on the Springboks.

Tri Nations Preview

Today is the opening day of one of the best Rugby competitions in the world, the Tri Nations tournament. The tournament includes three of the best, if not the best, side sides in the world, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. No matter the matchup it will be an incredible game and a fierce rivalry, as all three of these teams despise each other. The All Blacks have won the last four tournaments and are favorites to win it again. I'm going to agree with the experts on this one and say that New Zealand will take it again this year. However, I expect it to go right down to the wire like last season. The All Blacks had to win in Australia in the final round to take the title. I expect Australia to give another strong challenge and push New Zealand all the way. I also think that South Africa will give a much better showing and be right there in the end as well. 

Canada Honduras Too Close To Call

Tomorrow, Canada will take on Honduras in the Gold Cup quarterfinals. This is the most intriguing match up of the quarterfinals. Canada were very impressive in the knockout stage. They won two games and had a tie in a very difficult group. They have really hit their stride in this tournament. Their opponent, won two and lost one. Honduras are a very talented side. They can also be very consistent, as they have proven that they can beat anyone in CONCACAF, and lose to just about anyone as well. Their is no question Honduras can be lethal, just look what they did against Mexico. However, they also tied Puerto Rico earlier in qualifying. I think that this match will go to extra time. From their it could go either way, it depends largely on what Honduran team shows up.

Beckham Makes His Return

David Beckham makes his return tonight for the LA Galaxy against the New York Red Bulls. Beckham will return amidst lots of controversy. His teammate Landon Donovan called him out in his new book recently, saying that he was a bad teammate. Beckham hit back at Donovan calling him unprofessional. How can anyone blame Donovan for his comments. If I was a Galaxy player or fan I would be furious with him. Beckham despite being under contract with the Galaxy has repeatedly wanted to leave. He was able to get a loan deal with AC Milan, but that was not enough for him as he got it extended. I would like to know, if Beckham did not want to play for LA, why did he sign the contract to play for them in the first place? There is no doubt that Beckham will not renew his contract at the end of the season. Beckham does not even want to play out the remainder half season of his contract. Surely, Beckham's is focused on getting back to Milan and will not be focused at all on the task at hand. Another reason for LA fans to have animosity towards Beckham is because of his record. The Galaxy have not even made the playoffs both years he has been their, in a league where over half the teams make the playoffs. Beckham has screwed over the Galaxy since he arrived, he owes it to the LA fans and players to give a better display in this final part of tenure with them.  

Estudiantes Stuns Cruzeiro, Takes Title

Estudiantes became the champions of South America on Wednesday night, with a stunning upset of Cruzeiro. The first half was a physical affair with not many chances created by either side. The second half was when the game came to life. The Argentines fell behind early in the second half after a long range deflected strike found the net. It looked like the goal that would put the Brazilians on their way. However, Estudiantes responded incredibly well. Just minutes after that they would respond. It started when a beautiful pass by Juan Sebastian-Veron, who was the man of the match, found an open man on the right. His cross eluded an outstretching defender and goalkeeper to find an open Fernandez in the box, who taped it in. The goal not only tied the match, but swung the momentum firmly to their side. They put Cruzeiro under lots of pressure after that. Then, in the 72nd minutes, Estudiantes struck again. Boselli headed in a very difficult ball to give them the lead. They would have to survive a nervy final 20 minutes to win the match. A long range strike from Cruzeiro hit off of the crossbar with four minutes to play. Just after that, a free kick was floated into the box and a backheader took it to an unmarked Cruzeiro player. Some how, he failed to get a good connection and put it wide. They would get one final chance in stoppage time, when a cross found an open player. His volley though was skewed well wide of the net. It was not to be their night. This is Estudiantes fourth championship, the first since they won three in a row from 1968-1970. The win sparked scenes of wild jubilation in the streets of La Plata, as fans flooded into the streets almost immediately after the victory. 

All to Play For in the Copa Libertadores Final

Tonight is the final of the biggest game in South American football. The Copa Libertadores final. The final might be two games, but since the first game ended scoreless this will be the decider. It should be a cracking atmosphere, just like it is every Copa Libertadores Final. This one should be especially fantastic, as Cruzerio have a fanatical set of supporters. Cruzerio are a Brazilian side and they are up against Estudiantes of Argentina. The two clubs are very historic sides and have had success in this competition before. Cruzerio have won the championship twice and Estudiantes have won it 3 times. The Brazilians will not be denied in this one. Cruzerio have been the best throughout the competition. They impressively destroyed Gremio in the semifinals and Sao Paulo in the quarters. Playing at home in front of a raucous crowd will also give them a huge advantage. I expect Cruzerio to dominate tonight and win 3-0.

Happy Black Wednesday

Happy Black Wednesday everyone! Today is the only day of the year where there is not a sporting event in any of the four major American sports. Too many it is the most depressing day of the year. But don't worry, the MLB will be back tomorrow and it will be 365 days until the next Black Wednesday. For soccer fans, there are plenty of Champions League qualifiers today and the Copa Libertadores Final tonight. 

Here is the other news from today:

The AL defeated the NL 4-3, their 13th consecutive victory

Pedro Martinez has signed with the Phillies

Brett Favre will decide by July 30th if he is going to return

Home Run Derby Review

As I was watching the Home Run Derby last night, a couple of things really stood out to me. First, Nelson Cruz has perhaps the most natural power of any player that was in the contest last night. He had such an easy swing that he repeated every time and easily hit 450 ft. Secondly, the only reason Pujols didn't win is because he really felt the pressure of all of St. Louis counting on him. Lastly, there is no way that Joe Mauer should have been in the all-star contest. Don't get me wrong, he is a phenomenal hitter, but an average hitter not a power hitter. There were several other deserving players who could have provided more to the derby than Mauer, including his teammate and reigning champion Justin Morneau. All in all, this was one of the more entertaining home run derby's.

Historic Moment For Iraq

Last week Iraq hosted their first soccer game since Saddam Hussein was in power. The moment was incredibly historic for the Iraqi's and invoked a ton of local pride amongst the people. The match meant so much to the Iraqi's as it symbolizes the improvement of life in Iraq. One year ago, it would have been impossible for Iraq to host the match, as security risks were far too great. Soccer also been incredibly important to the Iraqi people. In 2007, when Iraq one the Asian Cup the people were extremely proud of the teams accomplishment. The team was filled with Shiites, Sunnis, and even a couple of Kurds. The victory for Iraq brought these three ethnic groups closer than they had been in quite sometime. The game was played in front of 50,000 people in a packed stadium in Baghdad. Iraq took on Palestine, another struggling nation where soccer means so much to them. The match was a one sided game, as they inspired Iraqi's took down Palestine 4-0. 

St. Louis-A Fitting City For the All-Star Game

St. Louis is one of the best baseball cities in America, without question. Their fans are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about the game. The Cardinals fans always pack their stadium and our incredibly classy. They adore their stars, but also are very encouraging to struggling players. What really makes it special, is how appreciative they are of great baseball, not just for their beloved  Cardinals. They love watching these elite players on display and will be great hosts for the event.

Mexico Takes Group C, Quarterfinals Set

Mexico defeated Guadeloupe 2-0 to take first place in Group C. Mexico, who were playing without their coach, deserved the victory. They put the Caribbean nation under pressure all night. Guadeloupe also had two players sent off in the match, which will hurt them in their quarterfinal. Guadeloupe have been the surprise of the last two tournaments, but this time they were outmatched. There would be no revenge for their semifinal defeat in 2007. The quarterfinal matchups will be as followed:

Canada vs Honduras 

USA vs Panama

Haiti vs Mexico

Guadeloupe vs Costa Rica

Panama Advances

Panama rolled into the quarterfinals after a 4-0 victory against Nicaragua. It took awhile for them to get going, and Nicaragua played well in the opening half hour. Samuel Wilson spurned a great chance for them. Panama got the goal they needed after 33 minutes. Franklin Lopez was sent off before the half, which was a big blow to the underdogs. Then, Panama struck right after halftime. It was over at that point and just a question of how much they could get. Panama scored twice more to make it a 4-0 final. Jamaica were eliminated by Panama's victory. 

World Cup Must Take Place in South Africa

If the world cup has to be moved from South Africa it will be a disaster. It will be so embarrassing for FIFA, that the world's most popular sport, won't be able to get their center piece event organized despite having years to do so. It will also be terrible for Africa. This is chance to show the world that Africa can host a major event, and if they fail to do so who knows when the next time FIFA will allow an African nation to host the world cup. The African people will be devastated by this. This is their chance to shine. This is their chance to display their passion for football and the abundance of hidden talent in Africa. Africa is a footballing mad continent, and it meant so much for them to get this cup. To have to take away from them, would be a bitter pill for them to swallow.

Honduras Rolls, Haiti Gets Tie, Jamaica Gets No Help

The Honduras Grenada match was pretty much over before it started. Honduras scored early and often in a rout of the Spice Boys 4-0. Walter Martinez scored after just 2 minutes. They would score another 25 minutes into the game and two more in the second half. The match was completely dominated by the Central Americans. They will second place and will play Canada in the quarterfinals.

Haiti entered the match against the US knowing that they could lose by two goals and advance. They would do much better than that. Haiti earned a 2-2 draw against the US and were minutes away from taking the game. Had they done so, they would have topped the group. The Haitians performance in this Gold Cup has shown that they have made real progress, for a team that wasn't even supposed to be in this tournament. Davi Arnaud started the scoring after just six minutes. It looked like Haiti were going to have to hold on for dear life. They were able to keep the score the same until halftime. Then, the Haitians started the half in a shocking manner. Haiti scored two goals in the first four minutes of the half. The second goal will be a contender for goal of the tournament. Chery took a botched clearance from the keeper and riffled into the top corner of the net from close to 30 yards out. With progression now sealed, they looked to win the group. It looked as though they might succeed, but with only minutes left Holden struck to save the USA. This goal was also sensational, as it was a beautful dipping and curving strike from well outside the box. The Americans went through as group winners, and Haiti as one of the best third place finishers. 

Neither result will do any good for Jamaica. They now need Nicaragua to beat or tie Panama tomorrow if they are to advance. If they were able to do so, it would be their first points ever in the gold cup. 

Sanchez Throws No-Hitter

The San Francisco Giants have had a fantastic year, due to their incredible pitching staff. They have two phenomenal young pitchers in Lincecum and Cain. They took a gamble signing Randy Johnson and Barry Zito, two veteran pitchers who have been great but are well past their prime. That gamble has paid off remarkably well this season, as they have pitched very well. The fifth man of the rotation is Jonathan Sanchez, a player not known to many outside the Giants nation. With an ERA hovering around 5 all season, Sanchez was clearly the weak spot of the rotation. In fact, he was even going to be knocked out of the rotation, but got a break as Johnson's injury forced the Giants to keep him in. He would take advantage of the situation to say the least. Last night he sparkled in his no hitter against the Padres. Only one batter reached base in the entire game, and that was on an error. Sanchez was by far the least likely Giant to throw a no-hitter this season, but after last night's performance people all around the country will know who he is.

Jamaica Stays Alive, Canada Takes Group

Canada's 2-2 draw with Costa Rica sealed first place in Group A for the Canucks. They had to come from behind after a strange opening goal from Walter Centeno. Canada responded instantly with two goals in the next six minutes. Centeno equalized with a brilliant free kick in the 35th minute. The game would pretty much stall out after that. The tie would give Costa Rica 4 points and would turn out to be enough to qualify. Costa Rica's qualification was booked as a result of Jamaica's victory over El Salvador. This also eliminated El Salvador in the process, which was shocking to them as they started out with a massive victory against Costa Rica. However, they failed to take another point from the next two games and as a result are now eliminated. Jamaica won the match on a goal by Cummings in the 70th minute, as he turned in a low cross from close range. The marking appeared to be good on the play, but Cummings was able to out muscle his defender. Jamaica's status is still very much up in the air, as they will need help to get through. Jamaica can qualify if 1 of 3 things fail to happen. All three have to happen for them to eliminated.

1. Haiti wins, ties, or looses by 2 goals or less

2. Honduras wins or ties

3. Panama wins

Again, if any of these 3 things fail to happen Jamaica will advance. All of these things are expected to happen, so Jamaica will be holding their breathe, knowing the odds are against them.

Mexican Fans Cause Trouble, Again

How many times are the Mexican fans going to step out of bounds before they get punished by FIFA? I know that it only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch, but this is just another disgraceful incident by the Mexican fans yet again. Obviously, the disgusting incidents seen at last nights game were done only by a very small percentage of the fans. Also, Mexico have incredibly loyal and passionate fans, that fill up the stands wherever the team goes. But, the incidents seen last night are one of many in a long history of bad behavior by fans of the Mexican national team and club teams. The fans littered the field yesterday with garbage, causing the game to be halted in the middle of it. It got so bad, the riot police had to come out to escort Ricardo Phillips, a Panama player, out of the stadium. Let's look at Mexico's history. Before the 2006 World Cup qualifier against the United States, some fans were caught chanting, "Bin Laden" repeatedly. In the game they also pelted the US team with batteries as they took the field, something that they have done on numerous occasions. In the 2002 Copa Libertadores, riot police were again called in as fans invaded the pitch after Club America's defeat against Sao Caetano. Their are constantly fights in the stands when Mexico travels on the road to play. Enough is enough. Mexico should have to play at least one, if not two of their next home qualifiers behind closed doors.

Guadeloupe Wins Again, Mexico Held

The little island nation of Guadeloupe continued their impressive run in the Gold Cup with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua. Unlike their previous matches, they were favorites this time. It took Guadeloupe until the second half to score the opening goal, even though the breakthrough should have been much earlier. Guadeloupe scored a clear goal, which was incorrectly ruled offsides. In the 56th minute they would get the goal, as Stephane Auvary turned in a beautiful cross to make it 1-0. Just two minutes after that they would strike again, when some very sloppy defending allowed Ludovic Gotin to make it 2-0. Guadeloupe are going through to the knockout stage for the second straight tournament and don't put it past them to make the semifinals again. Before that they play Mexico, needing only a tie to take the group. Revenge will be squarely on their mind, as it was the Mexicans who eliminated them in 2007.

As for the Mexicans, they were held by Panama to a 1-1 draw. The game was a very violent match that saw three players and a coach sent off. Mexico scored first after just 10 minutes and looked to be on their way. Giovanni Dos Santos was in on a breakaway, when he made an incredibly unselfish play of cutting the ball back to his teammate Miguel Sabha. Sabha was at a better angle and the goalie had to scramble to get back in position. Sabha cooly tucked the ball away to make it 1-0. Mexico spurned a great chance after this, hitting the post from point blank range. The Panamanians scored on their first real threat of the game. Blas Perez was able to control a free kick in the box, then muscle past a defender, before knocking the ball into the net from close range. Then before halftime things got ugly. After a Panama foul, pushing and shoving broke out. In the melee Noriega of Mexico and Gun of Panama were sent off. In the second half Mexico had a slew of chances but could not score. In the 79th minute, more fighting broke out. As Ricardo Phillips of Panama, chased a ball down the sideline, Javier Aguirre stuck out his leg and tried to trip Phillips. It was a very dirty move and Phillips reacted by shoving Aguirre. Players from both benches came together and started pushing each other. Phillips and Aguirre were both sent off. Then things got really bad. As Phillips was leaving the field objects were flung out of the stands at him. The game had to be temporarily halted, and Mexican players pleaded with their fans to stop. After the game resumed, Panama were able to hold on for the tie. Now, they face a must win game against Nicaragua on Sunday, while Mexico are all but in the next round.

Mavericks Back In The Picture

June 11, 2006. The Mavs defeated the Heat to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. The Mavs appeared to be in complete control and on their way to the championship. Enter Dwayne Wade. The Heat took three in a row in Miami, including two improbable comebacks. Then in Dallas the Heat finished off the Mavs to take the title. Then in 2007, Dallas finished the regular season with 66 wins, but then were on the end of one of the most amazing upsets in NBA playoff history, as they went down to Golden State. Then the Mavs struggled to make the playoffs and went down in 5 to the Hornets in 2008. Many people believed that the Mavs window for a championship had been nailed shut. Mark Cuban though decided to stick with the team and 2009 made it back to the second round. The Mavs have been able to keep their entire core in place, but they needed to add some more to get their lineup back into championship contention. This offseason the Mavs have gotten exactly what they needed, and that comes in the form of multi all-star Shawn Marion. In addition to that the Mavs were able to resign Kidd and are on the verge of getting a very underrated player, in Marcin Gortat. The Mavs roster now has an abundance of talent and will be right up there with the elite teams in the west next season. This is an attribute to Cuban, whose patience with his team will pay off this season.

Freak Stat

Tomorrow the Nationals and the Astros will resume a suspended game from early this May. They game was tied 10-10 in the Bottom of the 11th when the game was halted. One thing that is strange about this game is that the Nats will be the home team, even though the game will be in Houston. That is not nearly as odd as this piece of information I found out about. If the Nats can score in the 12 and win the game, the win will be credited to Joel Hanrahan, since he was the pitcher on record from the Top of the 12th. Hanrahan though, has since been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He could get credit for a win, even though he is not even on that team. Now there is something you don't see every day. Also, Elijah Dukes was at bat when the game was suspended. Dukes has since been sent down to triple A, so he will have to be pinch hit for.

No Ties

The USA and Haiti recorded victories tonight both by the score of 2-0. Tonight's games continued an unusual trend in this years gold cup. There have been no ties throughout the tournament so far. Also, only one time has the losing team scored (2 El Salvador 1 Costa Rica). Haiti picked up an important victory against Grenada, to all but eliminate them. The game was a tight match and the Haitians were a bit fortunate to come away with the victory, as they took advantage of sloppy defending. In the other match, the US took down Honduras 2-0. Honduras squared a golden chance in the first half when Costly broke the offside trap and had a breakaway. His shot hit the side netting though. The US had a slew of chances throughout the game, the best one falling to Ching in the first half. The breakthrough came just after seventy minutes on a goal by Santino Quaranta. It was a beautiful goal after a string of great passes and a lovely layoff. The second came just after that by Brian Ching, via the head. The US joined Canada as the only 2-0 teams in the cup. 

Blue Jays Must Trade Halladay

If the Blue Jays decide to trade Roy Halladay it will be an incredibly difficult move for the Jays fans to swallow. However, sometimes you must take a step back before you can go forward. If the Jays trade Halladay they can get a package of great prospects and maybe even a proven veteran. The trade would signify the end of the Jays challenge for this year, but in the future they will be better for it. They Jays already have a talented team, and if they were in a different division besides the AL East they could have a real shot at challenging for first place. Since they won't be leaving the East any time soon though, they will need to upgrade. If the Jays can pull off a trade of this nature they will have a very talented team, since they already have some very good young players. Aaron hill and Ricky Romero for example, are very young and have had fantastic seasons. This is a great opportunity for Toronto and they can not pass up on it if they are two get to the next level.

Costa Rica, Canada Win

Costa Rica picked up an important victory against the Jamaicans to give them a good shot at qualifying for the quarterfinals. The Ticos went down in their opening match to El Salvador, but responded well in their second game. Both teams had chances throughout, but could not find the breakthrough. Jamaica had a man sent off after 35 minutes. The Ticos found the breakthrough finally midway through the second half on a goal by Mora. He was left completely unmarked in the box, but still had a difficult finish.

In the other match of the night, the two victors from round one squared off. The Canucks took down El Salvador 1-0 on a goal by Ali Gerba, 32 minutes into the game. The goal came when Gerba cleverly deflected a scuffed shot into the net. It was another disciplined performance from Canada who stifled the Central American side all night. Canada top the group now and are on their way to qualifying. El Salvador are still in good shape, and now the Ticos are looking good. 

What the Orlando Magic Need

Last year's Eastern Conference champions have made many moves this season. They have gotten rid of Turkoglu and Gortat. They also traded Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, and Tony Battie in return for perennial all-star Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson. Turkoglu was a great player for the Magic, but getting Carter gives the team a player who can create his own shots. The Magic have an incredibly talented core with Howard, Nelson, Lewis, and now Carter. They need have a pressing need though, which was exposed in the final. Teams that play with multiple big men like the Lakers have mismatches against Orlando. Odom and Gasol took advantage of Lewis and Turkoglu throughout the series. The Magic must get another big man to help on the defensive end. They also need a big man to help them rebound. Despite Howard being the best rebounder in the game, the lack of a second big man hurts them considerably on the rebounding end. The finals showed this as well. Wallace would have been a perfect fit for Orlando, but now he is gone to the Celtics. This makes it all the more important that Orlando gets another big man. McDyess and Bass might be the best big men out there, but Otis Smith might concoct a trade out of nowhere. Smith made another trade out of nowhere for Alston that saved the Magic's season last year. Smith has stated the importance of getting another big man and I would not be surprised at all if he is planning another shocking trade.

The Rich Get Richer

This NBA free agent period has been pretty remarkable. I can't remember an offseason where all of the NBA elites have strengthened their teams. Boston is now the team to beat in the NBA. With a healthy KG and now Wallace they be expected to take their second title in three seasons. Orlando despite losing Turkoglu and a couple of other important players, added Vince Carter which will strengthen their team. The failure to get Wallace was a big disappointment for them, but if they can find another big man to pair up with Dwight they will also be very dangerous. The Cavs added Shaq, to give Lebron some desperately needed help. The Lakers lost Odom, but in a shocking move got Ron Artest. So the Lakers will be even stronger this year. Based on this offseason, expect the same four teams that were the elite teams last year, to be the elite teams this year.

Soccer Review

Egypt took down Rwanda 3-0 in qualifying yesterday. The breakthrough did not come until the 66th minute by Aboutreika. The Pharos added a second by Rabbou via the penalty spot, then Aboutreika added his second to complete the scoring. The win puts Egypt right back into things after a horrible start to their campaign. The Pharos are now just three points back of Algeria and tied with Zambia. In the next fixture these teams will play each other in the reverse in Rwanda. 

In the Gold Cup, Guadelopue pulled off another shock. The team that made a miracle run to the semifinals in 2007, started off the tournament with a stunning 2-1 victory against Panama. The win gives the tiny island nation a good shot at making it to the quarterfinals. Loval opened the scoring for Guadeloupe after a horrible error in the Panamanian defense. They took a 2-0 lead on 43 minutes when Fleurival scored one of the goals of the tournament. It was an absolute rocket from 30 plus yards out right into the top corner. Panama pulled a goal back with 22 minutes to go, but could not find an equalizer. In the other match, Mexico defeated Nicaragua 2-0. Nicaragua, playing in their first ever Gold Cup match, gave a very credible performance and it took a dubious penalty in the second half to open the scoring. Mexico added a second late in the game to seal the win.

Federer, Roddick Put on Epic Display

Roger Federer and Andy Roddick's match today will go down as one of the all-time greats in Wimbldeon history. The match final ended after 30 games in the final set, with Federer winning 16-14. Roddick played incredibly well and wasn't broken until the final game of the match. Both players racked up an extraordinary amount of aces and very few break points. Roddick took the first set 7-5 and looked on his way towards taking a commanding 2-0 lead, when he had four set points in the second set. Federer responded with six consecutive points to win 8-6. The third set once again went to a tie break. Federer took a 5-1 and looked to be on his way. Roddick responded though, winning 4 out of the next 5 points to make it 6-5. Federer held serve and took a 2-1 lead. Roddick responded well by breaking Federer early in the fourth set and holding his serve with ease. The American took the 4th set 6-3. The 5th set would turn out to be a marathon. Roddick once had a double break point but could not close out the game. It went on and on with both play holding serve comfortably. Federer held to go up 15-14, then went up 0-30 on Roddick's serve. Roddick battled back to take a 40-30 lead. Federer got it back to deuce, but Roddick went back up. Federer once again showed his championship character and battled back to take a match point. He would only need one. Federer got a break when Roddick sent his first serve into the net, forcing him to take some off of his next serve. Federer went onto the aggressive and forced a desperation shot from the American to sail well wide. Federer broke Sampras's record for career grandslams with his 15th. After Federer's streak of five consecutive Wimbledon Championships were broken last year, it only took him one year to get it right back. Many considered Nadal to have taken the thrown from Federer after he beaten him in Australia this year, but Federer has responded by taking the next two grandslams.

Rwanda vs Egypt Preview

The Pharos are coming into this match after playing in the Confederations Cup. That tournament showed how up and down they can be. Egypt played so well against Brazil and Italy, before being thrashed by the Americans. In qualifying so far, it has been almost all bad for Egypt. Egypt were held in Cairo to a tie by Zambia and then thrashed 3-1 in Algeria. With Algeria's win over Zambia, they are now 6 clear over the Pharos. Therefore, Egypt simply have to win this one. Rwanda have greatly improved over the last few years. They got a point from Algeria and were like not to have gotten another in Zambia. However, playing in Cairo is a daunting task for anyone and Rwanda don't have enough to get a good result in Egypt. I predict 3-1 to the Pharos. 

USA Rolls, Honduras Squeaks By

The US had an easy win in their first match against Grenada 4-0. The US played some good attacking football, against an outmatched side. Adu's goal on the sixth minute put the US on its way. The game really could have been a lot worse, but due to some poor finishing and good goalkeeping Desmond Noel prevented it from being worse. The US will face a more difficult match next against Honduras.

Honduras struggled throughout the match against a spirited Hatitian side. Honduras finally got the breathrough on the 76th minute on a goal by Carlo Costly. Costly has been impressive for Honduras as the Mexicans know well. The two favorites from this group are now in the driver seat to advance to the quarterfinals. 

Serena Wins, Men's Preview

Serena Williams defeated her sister in the finals today. After a tight first set, Serena pulled away and cruised in the second. The match was largely an uneventful one. The win ended Venus's chance at three in a row. This was Serena's 3rd Wimbledon Championship.

Tomorrow, Roddick will take on Federer in the finals of the men's championship. Roddick has had a great run to make the finals, but surely will be outmatched in the end. Federer has walked his way to the finals and should have no trouble.

El Salvador Upsets Costa Rica

Costa Rica came into the tournament as one of the dark horses, despite their history of struggles in this competition. El Salvador had played Los Ticos twice already this year and lost on both occasions. The third time would turn out to be the charm though. The match was played in Carson, California, in front of an overwhelmingly pro El Salvador crowd. El Salvador took a first half lead via a tight angle shot from Osael Romero. They held on until the 64th minute when Granados equalized from close range. Costa Rica piled on the pressure as they looked for the winner. The game turned on its head in the 86th minute when Romero scored his second goal after a mishit cross from the Costa Rican defense. El Salvador went on to win the game 2-1 and joined Canada at the top of group A with 3 points.

Canada Starts Tournament With Win

How is it that some teams in the soccer world can play so well in one tournament and so poorly in another. Canada had a dismal display in their World Cup Qualifiers and have not qualified for the World Cup since 1986. In the Gold Cup, they consistently go deep into the tournament. The Canadians took on Jamaica who they were thrashed by in qualifiers, the Canucks gave a much more spirited display. They were very organized at the back and did a great job keeping possession of the ball. Jamaica did create chances however, and were unlucky not to have scored. Canada had plenty of chances as well and got the break through in the 75th minute on a well taken goal by Gerba. With the win Canada now have a great shot at qualifying for the next round, while Jamaica face an uphill task. 

The Retrurn of Manny Ramirez

The return of Manny Ramirez brings one question to my mind. Should we as fans boo him for his usage of a banned substance, or should we celebrate his return as one of the greatest players of all time? I personally believe that this question can't be answered yet because we don't know all of the details yet, and I don't know if we ever will. We don't even know if he did use steroids, all we know is that he used a pill that is usually used after someone has used steroids. Also, if he has not used steroids, than why he is he refusing to answer the questions about all of the details he is being asked. What do you as fans of the game think?

Shock Transfer

To say that Michael Owen's move to Manchester United came out of nowhere would be an understatement. It came completely out of the blue. At first it doesn't make sense why Man U would do this. He is now 29 and has come off three injury plagued seasons. When you look at the contract he signed though, it becomes clearer. Although the figures have not been announced, United officials have stated that it will be a pay as you play contract and a significant pay cut from what he had at Newcastle. So it is a low risk high reward situation for United. If he gets injured or does not play to his potential, it does not cost United much. On the other side of the coin if Owen can stay healthy, he can be a very lethal player for United. However, United fans will still be wanting more from the Glazers after Ronaldo and Tevez's departure. Another big name might be making his way to Old Trafford soon. 

Canada and Costa Rica Best Shot to End Stranglehold

When Canada won the Gold Cup in 2000, they became the first team besides the United States and Mexico to win the tournament. Once again this year the US and Mexico are heavy favorites to reach the finals. Canada and Costa Rica have the best shot at stealing the trophy away from one of those sides. Canada seem to always play well in the Gold Cup, despite consistently underachieving in World Cup Qualifying. In 2007, they were very impressive in getting to the semifinals where they played the US. They would have made it to the finals had the officials not robbed them (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ani9Wkx-TE). The Canadians have a talented side with many of their players playing in the premier league and Dwayne DeRosario, who has twice won the MLS MVP. Canada certainly has a talented enough team to make a run to the finals.

Costa Rica seem to be the opposite of Canada. They always do well in World Cup Qualifying, but do poorly in the Gold Cup. They have never made it past the quarterfinals. This time however can be different if they survive a very difficult group. Costa Rica have topped the CONCACAF region in qualifying and have shown that they can beat either the US or Mexcio. This Costa Rican team is probably their most talented ever and if they stay poised are capable of winning the championship. 

Brewers @ Cubs Preview

This is a very important NL Central game for both teams, as the Brewers look to solidify their spot as a contender in the NL Central and the Cubs look to get back in the race for the division. The hard throwing Seth McClung goes for the Brewers and the Cubs answer with Ryan Dempster.
Prediction: Ryan Dempster throws very well and the Cubbies win 5-2.

Williams Sisters

Once again the Wimbledon Final will be between Venus and Serena. This is the fourth time in the past eight years that they will face each other in the final. The two sisters have been a great face for American tennis, as they have been the dominant players for the last several seasons. Venus destroyed Safina in the semifinals, while Serena played a very tight match against Dementieva. Despite that, I still think Serena will win because she leads the all time series 5-2. It should be a great match as Venus has won Wimbledon the last too years.

Angels @ Rangers Preview

This is a very important game as these two teams are in a very tight division race and the winner of this game would win the series. Both Kevin Millwood and Jered Weaver are going for their 9th win and appear to be the aces of their staff. They are very similar style pitchers in that  that neither pitcher will touch 92, but can still be very effective. One other note, the Ranger offense seems to be finally breaking out of that incredibly long offensive slump.
Prediction: Very tight game, Rangers win 6-4.

Rain in the Sunshine State

The Washington Nationals have had a season of disappointments. At 22-54 the Nationals have the worst record in baseball by quite some distance. They have especially struggled this year against teams from the state of Florida. After the Nats 5-3 loss against the Marlins today, they have a combined record against the Marlins and Rays of 0-12! In 10 of those games the Nats have had the lead. In one series against the Marlins in DC, the Nats took the lead into the ninth in every game. In two of those games, the Nats had leads by 5 runs. The Nats still have 9 games to pick up a win against a team from Florida, but at the end of the year their record is sure to be a dismal against them. 

Gold Cup Preview

Every two years the Gold Cup comes around and it is one of the best tournaments in international soccer. The Gold Cup is the tournament for the CONCACAF region and this year has one of the deepest fields in the competition's history. 

Preview: Group A is the deepest group from top to bottom in the tournament. Canada always seems to play well in this tournament and I expect them to sneak in to the quarterfinals along with Costa Rica and Jamaica. El Salvador will still be preoccupied with thoughts of trying to sneak into the World Cup, so I don't think they will be as focused as they would be on this tournament. 

Group B: The US should have no trouble advancing from this group. Honduras, who also has a history of deep runs in this tournament, should get through as well. Grenada are making their first appearance, which is a great accomplishment for them. However, I expect them to struggle and not make it through. Haiti are going through one of their worst points in history, and I do not expect them to progress. 

Group C: Mexico should be able to walk through this group. The rest of the group should be interesting. Nicaragua is also making their first appearance in the Cup after stunning Guatemala in the UNCAF cup, although they most likely will be out matched as well in the Gold Cup. Panama is the second best team in this tournament and should get through. Guadeloupe pulled off one of the greatest shocks ever in this tournament by making the semifinals. I expect them to have another successful tournament and make the quarterfinals.

Final: The USA and Mexico are just too strong and should make it to the finals for the third straight year. The USA has Mexico's number on US soil and should take the trophy again.

Giants @ Cardinals Preview

This game features a very interesting pitching matchup in recent 300 game winner Randy Johnson against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter. In the 1st game of this series, the Giants absolutely owned the Cardinals winning 10-0 with ace Tim Lincecum pitching a complete game shutout. Chris Carpenter has been stellar this season since returning from injury. Expect the Cardinals to dominate tonight with Carpenter pitching as well as always.
Prediction:Cardinals start out well and cruise through this game, winning 7-1.

The Face of Incompetence

There are many General Managers who infuriate their fan bases with a stunning amount of incompetence. However, Omar Minaya, the GM of the Mets, wins the award for the most incompetent. Minaya has always gotten a lot more credit then he deserved for the Mets run to the NLCS in 2006. The team he took over was overwhelmingly inherited from the previous GM. In 2007, after the Mets historic collapse, he shockingly failed to address the team's bullpen, which was the worst in baseball at the time. The failure to address the bullpen issue led the Mets to another collapse in 2008. Minaya made another shocking decision by giving Luis Castillo, an aging mediocre second baseman, a massive 4 year, 24 million dollar contract. This also prevented the Mets from signing Orlando Hudson, one of the best second baseman in the game, who openly stated that he wanted to play for the Mets. Now, go forward to this year. Minaya gave another massive contract to Oliver Perez, instead of signing Derek Lowe. Lowe's ERA is currently 4.3, while Perez's is a horrendous 9.97! The Mets have been devastated with injuries this year, which obviously can't be blamed on Minaya. However, the Mets have plenty of trade options to try to help counter the loss of their stars. Minaya, though, has chosen to do nothing, while the Mets have continued to sink. Minaya needs to go for the Mets to get back to the playoffs.

The Perfect Lineup

In my years of following Baseball I don't know if I have ever seen a more complete and balanced line up then the Dodgers team this season. They literally have no holes or flaws at any point. Manny's effect on the Dodgers last year was as great as any on team in recent history. His presence gave the Dodgers a massive lift to get them to the NLCS last season. When he went down many people expected his loss to sink the Dodgers. However, there is a massive amount of talent on this team and have experienced no drop off what so ever. Juan Pierre, his replacement, has hit a whopping .323 in his absence! Furcal has had a disappointing year hitting only .245, but his back up Juan Castro is hitting .345. Kemp and Ethier have also provided some power for LA, both with double digit homeruns. Casey Blake has also unexpectedly had a great year for the Dodgers with 11 homeruns. Then throw in James Loney, who always hits well, and Orlando Hudson, one of the most complete players in baseball and that is a stacked line up. Russell Martin has struggled but has plenty of talent and will surely get hot at some point to send his average soaring. With Manny coming back on July 3rd it will add one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Having an incredible slugger like Manny added into a line up filled with consistent high average hitters is a virtual perfect line up. In addition to that, the Dodgers have one of the best coaching staffs in baseball lead by Torre and Matingly.

The Dodgers weakness is that they are 15th out of 16 in defense in the NL. However, they are first in the NL in pitching which makes up for a lot of their miscues. They are first despite not having a very deep staff, therefore it makes it unlikely that they can maintain that position for the whole time. If the Dodgers can add another great arm at the trade deadline, their will be no stopping them on the way to the World Series. 

Rays @ Jays Preview

Roy Halladay makes his return to the mound tonight in search of his major league leading 11th win. The 6-9 Jeff Niemann toes the rubber tonight for the Rays and looks for his 7th win respectively. The Rays come into this game one game ahead of the division rival Jays and very much in the wild card race. Both offenses have been good this year and have some very good young talent that should translate into winning in the upcoming years. Expect a very entertaining game tonight.
Prediction: Halladay will give up a couple of 1st inning runs but will cruise after that. Niemann will do almost the opposite in starting very well but struggling in the 4th and 5th. Jays win 5-2.